Chapter 47
Hearing the word “father” from Chu Yi’s mouth, Sheng Qianheng froze on the spot. The hand resting on Chu Yi’s lower abdomen trembled slightly.
He looked down at Chu Yi’s lower abdomen. It was as if he had a thousand words in his throat, but they only turned into a stuttering, low question, “Is this… t-true?”
Chu Yi tried his best to put away his complicated emotions from the day. He slapped Sheng Qianheng’s hand away, turned over, and moved to the side of the bed. “Why would I lie to you about this kind of thing? If you don’t believe me, then forget it…”
Sheng Qianheng was just in disbelief for a moment. He had indeed wanted to have a child with Chu Yi before, but the news had come too suddenly, and he couldn’t come back to his senses for a moment. He leaned down, pulled Chu Yi into his embrace, and pressed his forehead against his. “Have you had an imperial physician take a look?”
Chu Yi lowered his eyes, his nose filled with the scent on Sheng Qianheng. So this was xìnxiāng. He only felt sleepiness gradually creep in, his eyelids growing heavier. He murmured, “I haven’t been feeling well these past few days. Lianfang knows medicine, so I had her take my pulse… She said it’s just been a month.”
Sheng Qianheng gazed at Chu Yi’s cheek, and the corners of his lips unconsciously curved up. He leaned down and placed a light kiss on Chu Yi’s forehead, continuing, “I’ll send someone to summon an imperial physician to take a closer look, okay?”
Chu Yi felt the dizziness ease a lot when he smelled Sheng Qianheng’s xìnxiāng. The sleepiness washed over him, and he didn’t want to move at all. His body unconsciously snuggled into Sheng Qianheng’s embrace. “It’s already the third watch. If you’re not resting, the imperial physicians in the Imperial Hospital should have gone to bed long ago. I’m very sleepy. Let’s talk about it tomorrow… A day’s delay won’t take away the blessing of you becoming a father.”
“Alright… I’ll listen to you.” Sheng Qianheng had no choice but to temporarily put aside the thought of seeking confirmation and raised a hand to pat Chu Yi’s back, lulling him to sleep.
Outside the window, the night was as cool as water, and the chirping of cicadas was faint.
In the bedchamber, only the single candle by the bed flickered, casting Chu Yi’s brow clearly into Sheng Qianheng’s eyes.
The summer night was stuffy. He propped himself up and fanned him.
Sheng Qianheng thought about many things alone. Chu Yi’s differentiation was caused by drugs, and his womb was different from an ordinary Kunze’s. He was afraid he would be uncomfortable during pregnancy. All he could do was nourish Chu Yi and the child in his belly with his xìnxiāng and pray that the ten months of pregnancy would be peaceful.
In his sleep, Chu Yi felt the candlelight was dazzling. In a daze, he looked up and saw that Sheng Qianheng was still not asleep. He raised his arms to wrap around his waist and mumbled, “You’re not sleeping. Do you want me to lull you?”
Sheng Qianheng immediately blew out the candle and lay down with Chu Yi.
The next day, at the chén hour, Chu Yi felt an unbearable heat on his body. He tried to turn over but felt that he was restrained and couldn’t move.
He slowly looked up, his vision filled with Sheng Qianheng’s face, which was close at hand. He thought for a long time before asking, “What time is it now? Are you done with morning court?”
Sheng Qianheng helped Chu Yi up and personally changed his clothes and groomed him.
Chu Yi felt uncomfortable. He raised a hand to press against Sheng Qianheng’s chest and asked, “You’re so free today…?”
“Today, I’ve ordered others not to disturb me unless it’s a matter of utmost urgency.” Sheng Qianheng nodded, his gaze fixed on Chu Yi’s lower abdomen. “I’ve already had Imperial Physician Xu wait in the side hall. After the morning meal is laid out, I’ll have him take your pulse.”
Chu Yi had just woken up and only then remembered that he had already told Sheng Qianheng about the pregnancy last night. Seeing Sheng Qianheng’s expression, he should be happy. He forced a smile. “You care so much? What if I can’t get pregnant in this lifetime?”
Sheng Qianheng didn’t notice the other meaning in Chu Yi’s words and only denied it. “If you can’t get pregnant, then it must be because I’m not working hard enough!”
In the bronze mirror, Sheng Qianheng’s usually cold and ruthless face was gone. In Chu Yi’s eyes, if there were no misunderstandings, he and Sheng Qianheng were like a deeply in love newlywed couple.
Imperial Physician Xu had been summoned by Head Eunuch Liu to wait in the side hall of Jingyang Palace at the yín hour. He never expected to wait for four hours before entering the hall.
He took Chu Yi’s pulse. In a moment, he felt a pregnancy pulse. He immediately bowed and congratulated, “Congratulations, Your Majesty. Congratulations, Your Ladyship. Her Ladyship has been pregnant for more than a month.”
Chu Yi looked back at Sheng Qianheng. Before he could even speak, he was pulled into his embrace.
Lianfang signaled for Imperial Physician Xu and the others to withdraw.
Chu Yi lightly patted Sheng Qianheng’s shoulder and asked, “What’s wrong?”
Sheng Qianheng released his xìnxiāng and kissed Chu Yi’s lips. “Brother, we’re having a child!”
Chu Yi: “Mm.”
Sheng Qianheng: “We’re having a child!”
What was originally a fleeting kiss deepened at some point because someone had leaned in slightly.
The roof of his mouth was already numb. No matter how many times he swallowed, he couldn’t keep up with Sheng Qianheng’s demands. Chu Yi felt that half of his body had gone limp, and apart from leaning against his embrace, he had no strength to move.
Xìnxiāng actually had such a powerful effect of arousing passion…
After biting Sheng Qianheng’s tongue, Sheng Qianheng finally caressed his cheek, his voice much hoarser. “I… I was too excited…”
Chu Yi panted, intermittently spitting out a complete sentence, “You’re going to be a father, yet you’re still so unsteady…”
Sheng Qianheng reached out and caressed Chu Yi’s lower abdomen through his clothes, wanting to feel the one-month-old fetus.
Seeing his serious expression, Chu Yi quickly turned around and started to eat his morning meal. “He’s only a month old. What do you expect to feel?”
Sheng Qianheng feigned a cough, immediately reined in his emotions, and picked up food for Chu Yi. “This is my first time being a father. A-Yi, please be considerate.”
Chu Yi smelled the xìnxiāng in the air and felt comfortable all over. “Why, am I not your first time?”
Sheng Qianheng recalled Chu Yi’s words about wanting an abortion and, fearing that he disliked children, asked, “Brother A-Yi, do you like this child?”
Chu Yi looked back into Sheng Qianheng’s eyes, as if seeing a hint of probing in them. He had indeed exposed the pregnancy because of that Princess Zhaoning’s push, but for now, he had no intention of not having this child.
He put down his bowl and chopsticks, took Sheng Qianheng’s hand, lifted the hem of his robe slightly, and pressed his palm directly against the skin of his lower abdomen, whispering, “If I didn’t like this child, why would I tell you? Couldn’t I have just secretly drunk an abortion potion? I did have some reservations about getting pregnant before, but now that he’s here, can I really not have him?”
Sheng Qianheng gently caressed Chu Yi’s flat abdomen, and a thin layer of mist unconsciously formed in his eyes.
Since he was a child, he had only had his mother’s love. After his mother passed away, he was alone in that Cold Palace, suffering endlessly.
The appearance of Chu Yi back then was like a god descending from the heavens, bringing him a long-lost warmth. And at this moment, there was already an inseparable bond between him and this god.
He choked for a moment. “Brother, thank you for coming to my side…”
Chu Yi suddenly felt a mixture of feelings.
The one Sheng Qianheng was thanking should be the original owner who had saved him from the fire and water as a child…
He was just an impostor.
When had he developed a different kind of feeling for Sheng Qianheng? Clearly, leaving was his best option.
He kissed Sheng Qianheng’s eyes, soothing his emotions. “Sheng Qianheng, I should also thank you for saving me…”
Saving the Chu Yi who had transmigrated into a book and become a scapegoat, who would have almost died in a rebellion. Even if the one Sheng Qianheng wanted to save was just the “Chu Yi” he loved…
The matter of Chu Yi’s pregnancy had not yet been announced to the officials. Firstly, the pregnancy was still unstable in the early stages. Secondly, Princess Zhaoning was watching like a tiger. It was enough that Sheng Qianheng knew he was pregnant, lest that Princess Zhaoning would try to harm him!
Fearing that something would happen to Chu Yi, Sheng Qianheng directly ordered someone to move all of Chu Yi’s belongings from Jingyang Palace to Qianqing Palace to live with him.
Although Chu Yi was resistant, it was to no avail. Now, he and Sheng Qianheng really saw each other day in and day out.
Chu Yi leaned against the chaise lounge in Qianqing Palace, flipping through those picture books day after day. He felt that he was about to grow moss from boredom…
Sheng Qianheng, on the other hand, wouldn’t let him do anything, for fear that the slightest exertion would affect the pregnancy.
However, once a person was idle, it was inevitable for their mind to wander.
Chu Yi was no exception.
He wondered if he had developed feelings for Sheng Qianheng because of the permanent mark between a Qianyuan and a Kunze. But he didn’t even know when the mark was formed…
When would Sheng Qianheng finally confess to him?
And what was it about Sheng Qianheng that he had taken a liking to?
A tyrant was indeed a tyrant. He was absolutely merciless in state affairs.
But the tyrant had the common people in his heart and had even accepted a marriage alliance for their sake…
In daily life, the tyrant doted on him at all times. He must have been indulging in the feeling of being doted on. But had he loved him to the point of wanting to have a child for him?
He immediately looked down at his still flat lower abdomen and couldn’t help but feel a doubt. The child was still in his belly. The final decision of whether to give birth or not was still in his hands.
Seeing Chu Yi’s furrowed brow, Lianfang asked, “Your Ladyship, are you feeling unwell?”
Chu Yi put down the picture book in his hand and sighed. “How painful is it to give birth…?”
Lianfang thought for a moment. “This servant only knows that childbirth has always been like stepping one foot into the gates of hell. Some ladies have a very easy time giving birth and have no discomfort even after several children. Others can’t give birth for two days and two nights and have to have a caesarean section in the end.”
Chu Yi couldn’t help but shiver. A caesarean section in this ancient era with such poor medical equipment was unthinkable.
“Lianfang, don’t say anymore. If you say any more, I won’t want to give birth anymore…”
Lianfang immediately pressed her lips together. “Your Ladyship, on the day of your delivery, His Majesty will never let you stay in the delivery room alone. At that time, His Majesty will use his xìnxiāng to soothe Your Ladyship, and it will be much smoother.”
Chu Yi could no longer hear anything. He had to find out if he should have this child for Sheng Qianheng!
He immediately stood up, his feet swaying slightly as he stumbled.
Lianfang was covered in a cold sweat. “Your Ladyship, be careful!”
Just as Chu Yi arrived at Yangxin Hall, he was stopped by Head Eunuch Liu.
Head Eunuch Liu smiled guiltily. “Consort Hui, what brings you here today?”
Chu Yi was puzzled. Liu Deshan had almost never stopped him before. Could it be that there was someone hiding in this Yangxin Hall today?
Chu Yi: “This Palace was idle and bored and cooked some food to bring to His Majesty.”
He paid no attention to Liu Deshan’s expression and entered Yangxin Hall on his own.
The moment Chu Yi stepped in, he was hit by the smell of alcohol in the room…
Translator’s Notes
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Yín hour : This is the period from 3 a.m. to 5 a.m. in the traditional Chinese timekeeping system.
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Qianqing Palace : The Palace of Heavenly Purity. In the Forbidden City, this was the emperor’s primary residence and office. Moving Chu Yi here signifies Sheng Qianheng’s desire to keep him as close as possible.
